Electrical connector



NGV. 12, 1946. C, E, CARSON 2,410,961

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 24, 1945 jaag/ :un A

Invenor.

. CHA/eLe- E. CASo/v Patented Nov. 12, 1946 UNITED- STAT ES PAT ENT GFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR i Charles Edgar Carson, Sharon, Mass. 'i imputationy marchar, 1945", seriarNe. 584,615 l 1 This invention relates to connectors for. electric wires-and cables, and relates more particularly to connectors for strandedwires and cables.

In connecting stranded, electric cables such as those used in wiring systems' 0n automobiles,- solderless connectors known as line connectors are used. Those in' most common use consist of metal sheets which are wrapped around and crimped upon the bare wires in the ends of the cables, and of a metal sleeve into which the ends of the cables with the sheets therearound, are forced. Due to the several indirect contacts, the voltage through such connectors is relatively high, and considerable time and care are required for making the connections.

This invention provides a line connector Which not only is less expensive to manufacture than prior connectors, but is easier to apply and has a lower voltage drop. A feature of the invention is that there are'no indirect contacts. Another feature of the invention is that most of the material used preferably is non-metallic and may be of any inexpensive plastic.

Objects of the invention are to reduce the manufacturing and installation costs of line connectors for electric wires and cables, and to reduce the voltage drops through such connectors.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating two electric cables interconnected by a line connector embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of theassembly of Fig. l with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section similar to Fig. 5 but taken before the connector is tightened upon the wires;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View along the lines I--E of Fig. 5, and

the central,` cylindrical opening I 3 for receiving Y the bare ends I4 of the cables.

At about the center of the sleeve I0, there is a` I5 arranged to receive the The rectangular slot plunger I6 which preferably is of metal.

2 Claims. (CL 28.75-78Y Y portion of the opening I8.

cam member I1 which-preferably is of pl'asti'cmaterial, has an internal spiral shaped, cameopening i8- whichis provided for forcing the plunger I6 against the wires as willbe described. The opening I3 has4 arounded enlargement at ZI which is shaped to conform with the curved top of'the plunger I B--andf which receives the said curved top' whenthe connector isfully tightened asV illustrated by Fig. 6.

The sleeve'li) and the cam member I1 are eX- ternally knurled except that the sleeve has a smooth portion at 22, and the cam member has a smooth portion at 23, as illustrated by Fig. 1, for indicating the relative positions of the plunger I6 in the'slot I8 as Will be described. The sleeve I0 has a raised shoulder 30 of increased diameter y having adjacent, and to one side of, the slot I5, the transversely extending wall 3|, and the cam member I'I has a transverse Wall 32 in contact with the Wall 3 I, the wall 3l serving as a retaining Wall during rotation of the cam member.

The ring I9 which preferably is of metal, is provided for maintaining the cam member I'I assembled in its proper position upon the sleeve I0 as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 5, and preferably has the inwardly extending, sharp teeth 2E! which cut into the surface of the sleeve lil when the ring is forced thereon, whereby the ring remains tightly in the connector assembled position as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 5.

The connector is assembled by placing the cam member I'l on the sleeve Ii) and by then placing the locking ring IS against the cam member as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 5. The connector can be assembled Aat the time the cables are to be connected together or at any time prior thereto.

When cables are to be connected, the cam member II is rotated to the positions shown by Figs. 3 and 4 whereby the plunger IE may be placed in the widest portion of the opening I8 so it cannot obstruct the passage of wires through f the opening I3. At this time the smooth portions 22 on the sleeve I5 and 23 on the cam member I1 will be in alignment as illustrated by Fig. l. The connector is then turned until the smooth portions 22 and 23 Vare uppermost at which time the plunger I5 will fall by gravity into the Widest The cable ends are then inserted so that their strands intermesh as illustrated by Figs. 3 and The cam member I1 is then rotated counter-clockwise with reference `to Figs. 3 and 4 through an angle of 270 degrees. During this rotation the inner end of the plunger i5 will be forced against the wire strands as a result of the pressure of the wall of the cam opening I8 against the top of the plunger, and the Wire strands Will be compressed between the inner end of the plunger and the bottom of the slot I5 as illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6. At the end of the travel of the cam member, the curved outer end of the plunger will snap into the curved depression 2| in the Wall of the cam opening I8 of the cam member, thereby locking the cam member in cable connecting position. At this time, the smooth portion 22 on the sleeve I0 will be 90. degrees out of alignment with the smooth portion 23 on the cam member I'I.

Since through the use of the connector of this invention there is direct wire to wire contact under considerable pressure, the electrical resistance of the connection is a minimum.

Another advantage of this connector is that the bare strands of the cable ends are isolated from the exterior of the connector by the insulation thereof so that no grounds or shorts can occur through the exterior of the connector touch- -ing the frame of a car or other metal.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction illustrated, as modications thereof may be suggested by those skilled in the art without departure from the essence of the invention.

Having described one embodiment of the invention, what is claimed is:

1, A connector comprising a sleeve having a longitudinally extending opening for the reception of cable ends to be interconnected and having an aperture extending from the exterior of said sleeve transversely into said opening, said sleeve having a raised shoulder portion with a transverselyfextending Wall adjacent said aperture,` a cam member having a wall in contact with said Wall and having an internal cam surface around said aperture, a plunger in said aperture, said plunger having an outer portion in contact with said surface whereby upon rotation of said member around said sleeve, said plunger is forced by said surface inwardly in said aperture for forcing wires in said opening intimately in Contact,

and a locking member around and in contact with said sleeve and in contact with said cam member for maintaining said cam member in position relative to said aperture.

2. A connector according to clairn 1 in which the sleeve is of relatively soft material, and the locking member is of metal with teeth which grip the surface of the sleeve.

CHARLES EDGAR CARSON. 

